Margaret E Stedron

Margaret (Maugie) E Stedron age 97 passed away peacefully at her home in Kettering, Ohio on Sunday May 23, 2021. She was preceded in death by her husband Ervin Stedron and her sisters Josie Sheets, Helen Probst, Eenie Leopold, Patty Gricus, and brother Harry Gricus.

Maugie is survived by her nephews Bill Sheets, Mark (Jo) Leopold, nieces Linda Laws, Sharon (Bob) Dryer and Maugie (Dave) Kieser, 8 Great Nephews & Nieces, 8 Great Great Nephews & Nieces and 5 Great Great Great Nephews and Nieces.

Maugie was a member of St. Charles Borromeo Parish and had been active in their Art and Environment committee. This ministry plans and maintains the décor of the church throughout each liturgical season.

Maugie worked 42 years at Ohio Bell (now AT&T) advancing to Chief Operator and then to Group Manager her last 20 years before retiring in 1992 and a Life member of Telephone Pioneers. She was known as the queen of Ohio Bell. She was a very active person involved in the planning of company events and playing in the company bowling (was told she was a great bowler) league and golfed weekly with her friends, along with numerous activities including tennis, swimming, skating, boating, anything to keep active. She was best known for her sewing and crafts. Into her 80’s she would go around and get companies to donate end rolls of fabric which she would use to make purses, bags and pouches you could attach to walkers and wheel chairs and then go around donating them to facilities. She loved woodcrafting, making most of her own storage units, chests and containers.

She had a great life but never had a husband. She was active and just waiting for the best, and at the age of 57 met the love of her life Erv, who adored her in every way until he passed.

Maugie loved hosting and putting together events for family gatherings. She said when you invite people you should have things for them to do so they are not just sitting around. Her goal was to always make events enjoyable for the guests. This really fits a saying I heard. “People won’t always remember everything you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel”

Maugie always loved playing cards, her favorite game was euchre, but since many did not know how to play euchre it became Kings in the Corner, a simple card game she could teach anyone and up until just a couple months ago, she still played and loved. She would play up to 3 - 4 hours at a time with family and caregivers.

The family would like to thank her great, great niece Breanna Dryer who was so instrumental in ensuring Maugie was well taken care of from showing, dressing her nicely, doing her hair and making her feel good about herself. She also would prepare advance meals for her and put them in containers so the other caregivers could just warm up in the microwave and always made sure everything was in order. What made Maugie the happiest though was Breana’s little boy she would bring with her. Maugie would just light up when she would see him and would always talk about him when you came over to visit. We would also like to thank all of the other home care givers Aspen, Lisa, Cara, Pauline who were so kind and affectionate toward her. Allowing her to remain in her home atmosphere where she had constant individual attention. Words cannot express how great a gift that was to her. Including Judy who spent most of Maugie’s last two days being a companion not only for her, but for Sharon and I as we dealt with her end of life.

Also an acknowledgement to Latanya who was Maugie’s weekly care companion last year. But more than that was a true friend to Maugie.

In previous conversations I had with Maugie, she wanted me to make sure I gave her niece Sharon a special acknowledgement for always being there for her in her later years. She told me she did not know what she would do if she didn’t have Sharon. Doctor’s appointments, weekly groceries, addressing any concerns she may have. If she needed something she knew she could call Sharon and Sharon would be there in a half hour if it was important enough to her.

When three of the (known to the family as the Gricus girls) were still alive, all in their 90’s, every Saturday Sharon would make a family meal in the morning / early afternoon, then when it was time for Mass, Sharon would get her mom ready who was living with us, then drive down and pick up Maugie at her house, then they would go over to the nursing home her other sister (Josie) was living in and pick her up and then take them to church. The usher every week would just smile with joy witnessing Sharon bringing them into church every week. After Mass Sharon would bring them home for the dinner she had prepared and then take Maugie and Josie back home between 9 and 10 PM. A full day every Saturday. But it was not forgotten. A friend of Maugie I spoke with to get some background information mentioned in one of her phone calls with Maugie how special that was for her. Maugie was telling her how Sharon would take her to church every week and then asked her “do you know what the best part was” when she asked what, Maugie replied “she always had the best meals”

People won’t always remember everything you said to them, but they will always remember how you made them feel.

Contributions: In lieu of flowers the family encourages you to make a donation in Margaret Stedron name to Hospice of Dayton who provided such great service and support for Maugie and the family providing everything requested and always quickly responded to our needs.

Margaret's funeral will be live stream for those unable to attend. The following link should be available 10 minutes prior to mass Watch Mass Online – ST. CHARLES BORROMEO PARISH (stcharles-kettering.org)